Everything Old is New Again

Brain may play key role in development of type 2 diabetes

In their paper, the researchers note that about a century ago, scientists believed the brain played an important role in keeping glucose in check. But since its discovery in 1920, the focus shifted to insulin, and today nearly all treatments for diabetes are devised either to increase insulin or increase the body's sensitivity to the glucose-regulating hormone.

The researchers propose a two-system model - the pancreatic islet system reacts to rising blood glucose by releasing insulin, and the brain-centered system enhances insulin-dependent glucose metabolism while also stimulating glucose effectiveness independently of insulin.

According to the research, the brain system is the one most likely to fail first. This puts pressure on the islet system, which can compensate and carry on for a while, but then also fails, causing further decompensation in the brain system. The result is a vicious cycle of deterioration that ends in type 2 diabetes.

Emphasis mine.  The history of science is my true passion-  I am writing a book about how most of my ideas have been around for thousands of years.